Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt hopes Khama Billiat’s first goal of the season last week will inspire him to greater heights. Picture: , Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency (ANA)
CAPE TOWN – Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt is quietly hoping Khama Billiat’s first goal of the season last week will inspire him to greater heights against SuperSport United in tonight’s DStv Premiership match at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium.
Billiat broke his goal drought against Black Leopards a week ago when Chiefs staged a come-from-behind draw after trailing 2-0. It was Chiefs’ third draw in six outings this season.
Hunt has been giving the highly-paid Zimbabwean striker Billiat loads of advice in recent times, in the hope, he’ll recover his scoring prowess. The record books show that Billiat has always scored against SuperSport, even when he was with Mamelodi Sundowns.
“Any goal he scores is a great goal,” said Hunt, about Billiat’s goals against Leopards.
“But there is a lot to work on, as well as his overall performance.
“The main thing is he scored and got us the equaliser. Now we move on and try and eradicate the mistakes we have made.
“Billiat has had some unbelievable chances but as long as he keeps getting into those areas, that’s the most important thing.”
Some of the mistakes Hunt referred to involve the ineptitude of his strikers in the firing zone. Usually, the strikers were guilty of poor option taking. As a result, Chiefs have only scored five league goals despite creating four times as many chances.
Chiefs are also not helping to ease the scoring crisis by keeping striker Samir Nurkovic on the sidelines. According to Hunt, the player has been ready to play after recovering from injury but hasn’t been selected.
There has not been any explanation for Nurkovic’s continued absence but manager Bobby Motaung’s comments in the media of late suggest that the player may be up for sale.
Chiefs’ rearguard has also been a problem since they have leaked eight goals in six matches. Some of the goals were as a direct result of individual errors.
“We’ve got to keep working on the training ground, keep trying to get it right. That is all we can do and stop making individual errors. The games we have lost are as a result of individual errors that’s cost us, that’s for sure,” said Hunt.
Chiefs, with six log points, are in 12th position and a win against SuperSport will give them a huge push up the table.